The Snitch: Bikie Mark Buddle linked to Fadi Ibrahim hit

Exiled bikie boss Mark Buddle’s name is connected to many unsolved Sydney gangland crimes — and now the shooting of Fadi Ibrahim as well.

Alleged international drug boss Mark Buddle has been a busy man of late — he has been linked to just about every massive drug import that has landed in Australia in recent times.

But Buddle being linked to high-profile crimes is nothing new.

Even when Buddle was based in Australia, his name was popping up everywhere.

One of the most significant events in the annals of Sydney’s underworld was the unsolved shooting of Fadi Ibrahim.

Ibrahim survived multiple gunshot wounds as he sat in his Lamborghini outside his north shore home in 2009. And guess what? Buddle was linked to that too.

Ultimately, no one was convicted of shooting Ibrahim.

In a 2012 trial related to the shooting, the court was told one of the star witnesses in the case nominated Buddle and John Macris to police as people whom Ibrahim had feuded with.

Police at scene where Fadi Ibrahim was shot five times and his 23-year-old girlfriend shot once in leg in his parked Lamborghini outside his Castle Cove home in 2009.

But wouldn’t you know it. When it came time to give evidence, the star witness’s memory had become a little foggy.

Asked by a defence barrister, “just to be clear about who’s who, Mark Buddle is a big strong bike club member, correct?”, the star witness said “yes”.

Mark Buddle.

Fadi Ibrahim.

The witness also agreed with the barrister’s description that Buddle was a “rough and well-connected criminal”.

But that was the extent of the witness’s memory.

Barrister: “And as far as you knew, he had a run-in with Fadi at the prison?”

Witness: ”I don’t recall.”

All roads lead to Roman

Who did the wife of Korean money man Yoo Chan Kim turn to when her husband’s $400 million blow-up emerged with a Sydney businessman?

The answer is a mystery man named “Roman”.

Today in the news pages we’ve revealed the story of the dispute involving Kim – a Korean presidential hopeful and big-time money man who failed to come through with the $1 million he promised The Charlie Teo Foundation.

When Kim was accused by Sydney businessman Ed Lee of reneging on a multimillion loan deal, his wife Hyun Ja “Rosa” Kim wrote several letters to a mysterious “Roman” about the situation.

So who is Roman?

Australian Border Force ex-boss Roman Quaedvlieg.

Our sources told us it was the ex-boss of Australian Border Force, Roman Quaedvlieg.

He was in charge of the border authority until 2018 when the federal government sacked him following an investigation into how he helped his girlfriend get a job without declaring their relationship.

Quaedvlieg has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has raised the prospect of legally challenging his sacking in previous media interviews.

He now runs a risk management and cyber security company.

Snitch emailed him asking if Ms Kim was sending the correspondence to him.

We also asked what was the nature of their relationship and why she would reach out to him.

Quaedvlieg never replied to our correspondence.

Marvel-ous effort

Given the history of everything that’s happened in Kings Cross over the years, you would forgive the local police for being occasionally over-vigilant.

We’re told the owner of Kellett St establishment Dollhouse Gentlemen’s Club was ordered by the police to sift through hours and hours of CCTV footage from an earlier evening’s revelry.

And he had to come in on his day off too.

Police suspected someone had entered the club with some sort of metal device on his head and needed to investigate how this was able to occur.

After reviewing hours of footage an answer emerged.

The man was part of an X-Men-themed buck’s party and was wearing the head piece as part of a costume.

So who was he dressed as? Wolverine? Magneto?

Probably the only safe bet is that he wasn’t a chick magnet.

Jennings’ appeal off and running

Ex-NRL star Michael Jennings’ appeal is officially under way against his ex-wife after a court ordered he pay her almost $500,000 after finding he raped her several times during their relationship.

The former Parramatta Eels flyer’s appeal was listed in the NSW Supreme Court on Wednesday.

Jennings’ ex-wife Kirra Wilden.

Ex-NRL player Michael Jennings.

Instead of going to the police, Kirra Wilden sued Jennings in the Sydney District Civil Court last year for assault and battery and won.

Judge David Wilson SC found that Ms Wilden was raped by Mr Jennings on four occasions.

Wilson found in her favour and ordered Jennings to pay her $490,000 in damages as well as the six-figure bill for her lawyers.

Michael Jennings playing for Parramatta. Picture. Phil Hillyard

ODPP brain drain

The government is moving to address the brain drain that’s happened of late at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Advertisements have gone out for a wide range of jobs at the prosecuting office, including the deputy director position, crown prosecutors and deputy senior crowns.

We’ve heard complaints from inside the office in recent times of prosecutors being overworked and facing burnout. Add to that the recent departure of some senior figures at the ODPP.

Ex-deputy director Peter McGrath SC is now a District Court judge, while Deputy Senior Crown Prosecutor Belinda Baker has been appointed to the ACT Supreme Court bench.

Longtime crown prosecutor Mark Hobart SC has crossed over to the private bar and is now with Sir Owen Dixon Chambers.

“If you’re wondering why a gun goes missing in a fact sheet here and there, it’s probably because an overworked prosecutor is looking to take a plea rather than face an entire trial,” one source said.

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